The Fortune Cookie
by Sangsu
Summary: Chichi is presented with a fortune cookie on her 50th birthday, and breaks down in tears as she remembers the cryptic message in her last fortune cookie, which may have already come true.****story mostly has a serious tone, with a few sprinkles of Chichi/Goku fluff to keep it less depressing****
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

I'm sorry for all the spelling errors. I spent a lot of time running it through an online spell check, but it removed my formatting, and I didn't want to go through a blob of text trying to sort out paragraphs. I misspell restaurant a lot because I pronounce "aunt" the correct way, not as "ant."

I wanted this to be a one shot, but my laptop has given me reasons not to fully trust it anymore. I didn't want to risk losing all that I've written, so please enjoy part 1.

* * *

 **" The Fortune Cookie"**

 **part !**

* * *

My hands were clasped tightly together as if in prayer, and my eyes kept drifting to the empty chair at my right. After all these years of being married to that careless man, my heart still firmly held onto the tiniest bit of hope that my husband would suddenly be sitting there. It was my fiftieth birthday party and our children had equially pitched in to rent out the restaraunt for the ocassion. He _should_ have been there.

"Don't worry Mom. I'll bet Dad is just running a little late. He'll be here," Gohan said with a worried smile. He knew as well as i did that Goku had no reason to be running late. My husband was not the type to work for a living. There was nothing important keeping him from being at my side.

"That's right! He'll be here. When has Dad ever passed up the chance to eat free food?" Goten laughed.

I turned my attention away from the empy chair beside me with a smile, touched by my children's concern.

I lovingly gazed at every friend and family member in the restaraunt. Bulma and her family were there, dressed down in their simplest garmets so that I could stand out in my new purple dress, which Gohan had given to me this morning. My father was seated at another table with his good friend Master Roshi, laughing so hard at his own joakes that his belly shook. Krillin and his family were there, too. Marron slowly plucked the sushi on her plate with her chopsticks, savoring each bite as she politly listened to Bulla talk about clothes.

Eighteen caught my stare and smiled back. Our kids used to have playdates together, and we used to be good friends until our kids went to high school and the playdates stopped. Eighteen still looked the same. Not even a day older.

"Krillin," Eighteen barked, handing him Marron's empty cup." She needs a refill."

"Um, we have waitresses for that honey," He replied, laughing good naturedly as Eighteen thrusted the empty cup into his hand. He laughed and said," You're right, I should do it. Gee, they must be understaffed here. Maybe Marron should fill out an application. . ."

"No way, Dad!" Marron groaned.

Beside me, on my left, my only granddaughter tugged on Gohan's sleeve." Papa, are they hiring? Do you think they'll hire me?"

"I think you have to be over sixteen to work here sweetheart."

"That's not fair!"

"Pan, you have school to worry about. You don't have time for a job," Videl said, transporting steamed broccoli and fish from her plate onto her daughter's plate.

"She's right Pan," I said, taking a drink of my hot tea." You should focus on becoming a doctor, not a waitress. Oh, nothing would make me happier than to see my granddaughter become a doctor! Don't you think it will be exciting to have a doctor in the family, Gohan?"

"Uh, sure. Yeah, Mom." Gohan agreed, scratching his head as if he were already thinking of a way to make my dream come true. I could never count on Goku to be there for me, but Gohan was different. I knew he would do anything to make me proud. I worked hard as a mother to see him become a scholar, and that hard work payed off. Surely, he would see to it that Pan becomes a doctor. I just hoped I'd be alive long enough to witness it.

An hour went by. A familiar, painful ache crept it's way into my heart and burned its way to the pit of my soul. I tried to ignore it; I tried not to think about how my Goku wasn't at my birthday party.

"The food was delicious. I can't eat another bite," I remarked, tossing my white napkin onto the now empty plate in surrender." Thank you, Gohan, Videl, and Goten. You really didn't have to go to all this trouble to rent out such an expensive restaraunt. A simple picnic would've been enough."

"It was no trouble at all, Chichi." Videl reasurred.

"We were happy to do it Mom," Gohan said.

Goten got up from his seat to hug me in my chair. " You deserve a night of not cooking. If I knew how to cook we'd be eating at home instead."

I patted Goten's arm since I could not return the embrace without getting out of my seat. I could see that Trunks was dying to tease Goten for showing me affection, but since it was my birthday, he didn't openly call Goten a "Mama's Boy."

"I'm just happy I don't have to wash all these dishes."

Everyone laughed.

There were mountains of empty plates stacked out of our way at the unoccupied tables. The staff would have to stay late to get them all done. I remembered the nights when I stayed up past midnight washing the dishes Goku, Goten, and Gohan had left for me.

"Can I give Grandma her present now?" Pan asked, producing a silver wrapped gift from under her chair.

Before Gohan could answer, Krillin shouted," Yeah let's do presents! Chichi, you're going to love what we picked out for you!"

The restaraunt staff cleared away the dirty dishes as I unwrapped my gifts. I received a pile of new dresses, cookware, and gift cards. That familiar ache intensified, and I tried to keep my smile in place. My reaction to the gifts were overexaggerated, but they were too proud of their gifts to notice my fakeness. Years of heartache had made me a professional liar.

"Thank you for the gifts everyone!" I said, scooting out of my chair, eager for my birthday to be over. The rest started to follow my lead, and slowly rose up from their chairs, their full bellies weighing them down like one of Goku's wristbands.

"Wait. Don't leave yet, not before you've had dessert." One of the servers said. She, along with most of the servers there, came out of the kitchen in a single line, each of them holding a small black tray. We sat down in our seats. They surrounded our table, making us all feel like royal, honored guests.

"Fortune cookies!" Pan gasped as the server behind her chair leaned forward and layed the tray before her. She loved fortune cookies, and would happily eat a box of them to herself if Gohan let her.

"Cheap dessert," Eighteen muttered not so discreetly.

"I hope these numbers are lucky," Krillin prayed, pocketing his fortune." Guess I'll find out after playing the lottery."

I sensed the server behind me, and she gingerly laid the tray down. It made a small _tap_ as it hit the table. My blood went cold, and my smile fell. I willed myself to push the cookie aside, but my arm wouldn't move. My body had gone numb.

"You will be the richest woman on the planet," Bulma predicted, setting her fortune cookie on her daughter's plate. Bulla took both cookies and gave them to her dad.

Vegeta snorted, shoving the cookies into his mouth before breaking them open.

"It's sad some people believe these," Trunks said, holding the strip of paper between two fingers. He was not impressed.

"Yes! It says I will have goodluck in love!" Goten cheered, waving his fortune in front of Trunks' face as if to make him jealous. Trunks sighed.

"What did yours say?" Videl asked Gohan.

"You don't really believe these do you?" Gohan laughed, handing his fortune to her anyway. She gave him hers in return.

Beside me, Pan absently munched on her cookie, letting out an unlady like belch once she finished.

"Are you okay Chichi?" Dad asked. He sounded far away, but he was actually behind my chair, lightly shaking my shoulders. I relized I was crying.

Everyone at the table fell silent. None of them looked at me. I knew they were all mentally cursing Goku, whom had never showed up. Gohan's fists sent small tremors through the table as he struggled to keep his anger in check.

I half heartedly attempted to wipe away my tears and collect myself, but the emotions that broke free from the dam I built needed to be let loose. It was overwhelming. There was no stopping it.

I let myself cry.

I couldn't, however, bring myself to tell them the story of the fortune cookie. That was a burden I couldn't release myself from.

"Thank you for being here, everyone." I whispered, hoping they could hear my genuity despite my breakdown." Really, thank you."

 **. + . + . + . + .**

I was only eighteen when I married Goku. Some people would argue that that's too young to get married. Back then, I thought i was already too old. I thought about Goku every minute of everyday, and each passing year felt like ten years to me. I was in love with him, and longed to be with him.

"Finally," I had whispered after we were officially declared husband and wife on our wedding day. I affectionately gripped Goku's arm and leaned my head against his shoulder. He gently shook me off his arm with a puzzled expression. He didn't want me to touch him, but I didn't care. I held onto his arm again, tighter. He didn't understand me, but that was okay. We had the rest of our lives to understand each other.

We flew from my home village on nimbus right after we married.

"We're a team now," I explained in less romantic words so Goku would understand that our wedding wasn't just a party. It had meaning." That means whereveryou go, i'll follow. When you feel sick, i'll take care of you. If you feel hungry I will cook for you."

I stood up on my knees, peering over Goku's shoulder as nimbus flew us away from the desert near my village. Goku had a blank expression, and I doubted he understood me. In the following years I would come to find out that he understood every word. Because, a day would come when I'd be too upset with him to cook him anything. Goku would pout and, in a small hurt voice, remind me of what I told him." You said you'd cook for me if I felt hungry. Remember, Chichi? You promised."

I pressed my lips against his cheek for a moment, before brushing them agasint his side burns, coming to a hovering stop over his ear. For my final promise, I needed to be sure that he'd hear me. I didn't have the guts to repeat myself. It was just too embarrassing, but I felt it needed to be said.

"If you ever feel lonely, Goku. . . " I paused for the seductiveness of it." You can find me in your bed." Maybe it was the cold wind hitting his bare arms, or maybe my breath had tickled his ear, but I like to think it was my words that made him shiver.


	2. Chapter 2

**...**

 **The Fortune Cookie**

 **Part Two**

* * *

We had no real destination in mind. Although Goku had looked back and asked me where we should go, I felt content keeping my face nestled into his back and didn't care whether we ever got off that cloud or not. " Let's keep flying for a while."

Goku's shoulders lifted a little as he took in a breath. "Okay, but it's starting to get dark. . ."

He said nothing more as he patiently waited for me to come to my senses. The cold night air forced my eyes open, and I was greeted with the sight of glittering stars. As much as I wanted my wedding day to go on forever, it wouldn't.

"Maybe we should find somewhere to sleep," I said.

Goku nodded. Nimbus changed its course and dove into a thicket of trees, stopping just above ground. Goku hopped off first and held his hand out to help me step off the cloud.

"Thanks, Nimubs!" Goku shouted as the cloud flew away. I squeezed tightly to Goku's hand. It was dark, there wasn't a house in sight, and I was suddenly unsure of our future. I looked to Goku for reassurance, and he grinned back at me.

" My stomach is still full. I don' feel hungry at all. What about you?"

I told him I wasn't hungry. He nodded, plopped down on the dirt, and laid back, stretching out his arms on either side. I hesitated before sitting beside him. It was our wedding night, and I felt a little dizzy. In every daydream I ever had, my wedding night ended the same, glorious way: I would get pregnant.

I touched my palms to my burning cheeks and giggled as I waited for Goku to reach out for me. Surely, this would be the night we'd make passionate love and officially become husband and wife. I waited a long time for him to make a move but all that came were the sounds of his snores, which crushed my hopes instantly.

My head fell onto his arm and I rolled onto my side. Goku was oblivous to my presence as he slept, and I watched a line of drool fall from the corner of his open mouth.

"You're too cute to be mad at," I whispered, kissing his cheek. I snuggled close to his body and told myself it was okay we didn't make love on our wedding night. There would be many opportunties for that. We were destined to spend every night of the rest of our lives together. It would happen eventualy.

Although a pack of wolves were howling somewhere nearby, I didn't tremble in fear or stay up all night. I knew Goku would protect me with his life. Nothing bad would ever happen to me, not when he was around. Within seconds of closing my eyes and giving thanks for our happy union, I fell into the most peaceful sleep of my life.

 **. + . + . + . + .**

The sun's warm rays kissed my skin and awoke me from my sleep. I stubbornly kept my eyes shut, draping my arm across my face to shield myself from the light. The morning melody of the birds put me in a trance and I was almost ready to go back to sleep, but my heart told me something was missing. . . there was a sound I thought was more beautiful than a song, and I wasn't hearing it.

Goku wasn't snoring! My eyes snapped open and my arm fell to my chest. There, staring intently at me for who knows how many hours, was my husband, Goku.

I self consciously touched my face and tucked a few wild strands of black hair behind my ears. " Good morning, Goku," I greeted, turning my face away from him a fraction, aware that my breath was anything but pleasant. He was lying beside me with an intent look in his eyes. . . was he hoping we could make love first thing in the morning since we were too tired to do it last night?

Goku's lips parted, and he asked." Can you get off my arm now, Chichi? I have to pee."

I didn't get up right away, I was too stunned by the request that it took me a few seconds to fully understand his words. Once I sat up, Goku jumped to his feet and rolled his shoulder, attempting to bring back some life to his dead arm. He turned his back to me, approached the nearest tree, and dropped his pants.

"Ahh." He sighed. I stared at his butt while listening to his trail of urine splash against the tree bark. Goku felt me staring at him and looked over his shoulder. "Hm?"

I turned my head so fast that my neck almost snapped. " I have to pee too!" I announced, walking stiffly to a far away bush and crouching behind it.

Goku complained about his arm feeling numb as we walked through the forest. I knew that he could've taken his arm out from under me anytime he wanted during the night, but he didn't, and I loved him for it. I babied him with an apology and kissed his arm. My actions seemed to satisfy him, and he kept silent as we walked.

I never thought it was possible at the time, but In the future, after one year of marriage, his childish whining was destined to change from something I found endearing to completely annoying.

My fingers slipped between his once we came upon a breathtakingly beautiful view of a small village nestled between two mountains. Goku glanced down at our interlocked hands with confusion. He shook off my hand. Smiling, he said." It's okay Chichi. You don't have to hold my hand. I'll stay close so you wont get lost."

 **. + . + . + . + .**

"Thank you for saving us from the sea monster," The village leader said, bowing twice before Goku while I stood proudly at his side. The rest of the people nodded and followed their leader's example, some of them even sitting on their knees and touching their forehead to the floor.

"How can we repay the kind service you have done for us today?"

In answer, Goku's stomach bellowed, and he sheepishly scratched the back of his head." Well . . ."

The village leader escorted us into his best restaraunt and told the chef we could eat as much as we wanted. Nothing else could've made Goku any happier, and he savored everything on the menu twice. I was content with a bowl of noodles, tea, and a side of white rice.

The noodles were thick and long, and I had to raise my chopsticks high above my head and tilt my head back just to eat them. They were a little greasy from the broth, tasting deliciously of the celery and chicken meat it absorbed. I ate just as quickly as Goku, only remembering he was sitting across from me as our eyes met, and the end of the last noodle had flicked me on the nose before disappearing forever into my mouth.

"This is good," Goku said, cramming food into his mouth faster than he could chew.

By the end of our meal, all that remained were empty plates, bones of chicken and fish, and dirtied chopsticks. Goku belched once he swallowed the last of his food. I dabbed at the corners of my mouth with a napkin after finishing my rice and tea.

The chef wanted us to leave his restaurant with a sweet taste in our mouths, so he set two fortune cookies before us. He thanked us for helping his village and announced to his staff that other customers could enter the restaraunt now that we had eaten.

Goku picked up his fortune cookie and sniffed it. I giggled, gently cracking my fortune cookie open. Goku mimicked me and broke his cookie open. His eyebrows rose when he caught sight of his fortune inside.

"What does it say?" He asked after inspecting it.

My eyes widened." You can't read?"

Goku's brows furrowed and he crossed his arms. He couldn't read, and I realized that was something he didn't want to admit to. I took the paper, read it, and smiled.

"It says you will aquire great strength in the future."

Goku's shoulders relaxed. " Oh, good. What does yours say?" He scooped up the pieces of his cookie and threw it into his mouth, not bothering to chew it, and swallowed.

I dusted the sweet crumbs from my fortune as I straightened the paper. The words were clearly printed and there wasn't much written, but that didn't stop me from squinting and leaning in close to read it. I was so shocked that I had to hold the paper far away from me as I re read it.

 **He will never love you.**

"Chichi? Are you okay?"

I blinked, and quickly crushed the paper into my palm. I felt panicked, as if a close friend of Goku's had just leaned in and whispered a very important secret to me, one Goku must never know I knew.

" Yes, I'm fine." I said, forcing myself to smile." It said I will have many babies and live a happy life." I stood from my chair, keeping my fortune secured in my palm." Let's go. I'm ready to leave."

"Where are we going?" Goku asked.

I didn't have an answer.

I knew that wherever we went, Goku wouldn't hold my hand.

He'd never be the one to kiss me first.

Of course not. Why would he show his love when it wasn't there for me to begin with?

I remained quiet and distant as we travelled, keeping my hands and the paper close to my body at all times. When we slept, I made sure we were far enough apart so that I wouldn't seek out his body heat in the middle of the night. There was no laughter, no smiles, no affectionate words from me.

Goku didn't care. He slept soundly, his loud snores were like mocking laughter to my ears. He didn't become lonely when I grew quiet. Their were always animals and people in need of his help. It was like I didn't exist. It was like I wasn't needed.

Finally, I grew to resent him enough that I questioned why we were even married. He never acted like he loved me, like he needed me. Why should I stay with him? Didn't I deserve to be treated better?

One morning I woke up before the sun, before the birds, and before Goku.

Hot tears stained my cheeks as I gazed upon the man I still loved, and I felt guilty for what I had decided to do. I leant forward and kissed him softly on the lips for what I thought would be the final time.

"Goodbye," I whispered.

It didn't matter where I went. I was too embarrassed to go back home to my father, so my feet chose a direction and I just started walking.

I was far too overwhelmed with grief to notice that Goku had stopped snoring when I kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been 3 months guys. I had a lot going on.**

 **Thank you so much for the lovely reviews. They actually made me cry a little.**

* * *

. . . . . . . .

Goku didn't chase after me when I left him. He could've easily found me if he'd tried. Swarms of birds flew from the treetops and disappeared into the sky wherever I went. My sobs were so loud, little rabbits, deer, mice and squirrels scurried to get away from me.

It broke my heart each time I looked back in the direction I had left Goku. He was never there standing amongst the trees or tall grass, nor was he ever searching for me on Nimbus when I looked up for him. Goku had let me go. What had taken me weeks to muster up the conviction to do, he had done the second he woke up that morning and saw I wasn't there.

"I wont cry for him anymore," I promised myself, stomping my shoe into the burning cinders of last night's campfire. It was the fifth day I had been alone in the forest and I realized that I had ignored my basic needs. My hair looked like a gerbil's nest. An offensive odor wafted from my body, the result of going five days without a bath. My eyes were red, sore, and puffy from crying every hour. Feeling the constant pain of hunger did nothing to help my mood, either.

There was a dirt road down the hill from my campsite. Finally , I had a destination. The road probably led to a small town. I could find a nice place to sleep and get some warm food into my stomach. Best of all, there would be other people.

I looked back one more time, hoping to finally see Goku. Of course he wasn't there. He'd let me go. I meant nothing to him.

 **. + . + . + . + .**

It occurred to me that I carried very little money in my pockets, and I was reluctant to buy anything except for two deep fried gyoza rolls on a stick.

I walked straight through the small town, meeting the curious gazes of the locals with a smile. _'Maybe I can live here,'_ I thought, my mind toying with the idea.

I didn't notice the doorbell chime as two of the locals exited from one of the shops closest to me. A young lady with radiant blond hair skipped from the shop, bumping into me and knocking my deep fried gyoza right out from my hand. I'd never felt such remorse for food before and, in my fragile emotional state, started to tear up.

The lady flashed a dazzling white smile. She wasn't wearing any makeup, but her glowing happiness made her pretty.

"Oh, I'm sorry," She said, letting out an airy laugh. She turned to her boyfriend and reached for his hand. Together, they crossed the street, giggling and pointing through the shop windows they passed.

I completely forgot about my deep fried gyoza, and began watching the couple from afar. Oh, how I wished my marriage to Goku had been that loving. The boyfriend never shook away his girlfriend's hand, and welcomed every kiss she gave him with a slight puckering of his lips. When her attention was on something else, like a passing car or a memory, he'd draw her attention back to him by lifting her hands and kissing them, or by playfully swinging their hands high into the air. When other young men would walk past them, he'd put his arm around her waist and pull her close to him as they walked.

The lady was loved, and her boyfriend made sure she knew it.

I remembered my fortune cookie and touched my left pocket, where I kept that tiny strip of paper hidden.

Suddenly, I didn't want to live in that small town anymore.

 **. + . + . + . +.**

When the town disappeared from sight and I was hidden once more by the dense foliage and towering trees. . . I didn't stop walking. There was no future behind me, and as far as I knew, there wasn't a future waiting ahead of me. I was lost.

"Don't panic, just keep moving forward," I said out loud, walking myself tired until night came and I couldn't see a thing in front of me. I didn't make a fire. Tucking my knees in close to my chest for warmth, I fell asleep.

When I awoke, there was a heavy blanket draped over me. Someone had left seven cooked fish set upon a large leaf just under my nose, along with a bottle of water, and a trail of flower petals leading to a dirt path I hadn't noticed before.

I looked around me, but I was the only person in this forest of birch trees, dead leaves, flat ground, and sticks.

"Hmm." I bit my lower lip, uncertainty washing over me like a tidal wave. It didn't seem wise to follow a trail of flower petals. Somebody was following me, and I hadn't realized it. For all I knew, someone was leading me into a trap.

With a sigh, I ate my fish, rolled up my new blanket, and started following the path. It's not like I had anywhere to go to begin with.

Sometimes, when I feel incredibly lonely or frustrated, I wonder what my life would've been like had I never followed that path.


	4. Chapter 4

My chest tightened when I came to another fork in the path, once again seeing a trail of pink and red flower petals. For a week I had followed where the flower petals wanted me to go, all the while hoping I'd get to see my Goku - or any person with a smile - waiting for me at the end of the path. It hadn't occurred to me that maybe the path was endless.

"Goku!" I shouted, kicking dirt and rocks over the flowers with my shoe." Stop playing games! Come out now!" In my heart I knew it was Goku leaving me the flower petals. It could be no one else.

Goku didn't come out from hiding. I was alone.

"You're so cruel," I growled, shaking my head and taking a few steps back from the path. I'd walked so far. Goku could've made up with me anytime he wanted and we could've flown on Nimbus together again. Why hadn't he? Was watching me walk blindly while he laughed from the shadows my punishment for leaving him?

Or, maybe, for his final act of kindness he was leading me back to my father, returning the bride he never wanted in the first place.

"Perhaps," I reasoned." Goku will show himself to me if I do the opposite of what he wants." Instead of taking a left in the direction of the flower petals, I decided to go right, hiking down the rocky path and through an open field.

 **.+. +.+.+.**

"Is that when Goku stopped you from going the wrong way and confessed his love for you? "asked Videl. She watched me shake out the wrinkles from the bedsheet before handing me two wooden clothespins." Where exactly was he taking you anyway? Goku doesn't seem like the kind of man to take you anywhere special on your honeymoon."

I fastened the clothespins on the two corners of the bedsheet. Right away the wind pushed against it, the pillowcases, and socks, making them dance on the clothesline. I looked up at a passing fluffy cloud." Hmm. "

How much of the story did I want to tell my daughter-in-law?

She knew nothing about the fortune cookie, I'd conveniently left that part out. It'd been five days since my birthday party, and Goku still hadn't shown up. Since then, Videl or Pan had been keeping me company in rotating shifts while Gohan and Goten searched for their father.

" A special honeymoon to Goku would be at a twenty-four hour buffet," I said dryly." No, he didn't stop me from going the wrong way. A pair of bandits did."

"Are you serious?" Videl growled, unable to mask her contempt for dishonest people.

I waved my hand, letting her know that it was all in the past. She already knew the ending to my story, Goku and I lived happily ever after and raised two beautiful sons. She wanted to believe what my younger self wanted to believe, that Goku was a pure, sweet man without a single mean bone in his body. I wasn't about to change her perception of him.

"Let's go inside and have some tea."

 **.+.+.+.+.**

I'd walked half a day before stopping to rest on a large rock. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with my feelings and thoughts of Goku, I would've noticed the pair of bandits stalking me. It wasn't until I had taken off one of my shoes that they appeared before me like phantoms.

I gasped.

"Don't move, don't scream," The leader ordered, pressing his pistol against my forehead.

My cheeks and hands heated with fury, and my shoulders tensed. The man and his twin brother stood as tall as bears, possessing biceps three times the width of that of an average man. Scars and old bullet wounds covered their chest and abs, but most noticeably, knives and handguns adorned their belts.

The beast holding the gun to my head smirked. I was probably the first victim to not break out in tears or plead for my life. I don't know why I wasn't afraid, perhaps I had let the title of "The World's Strongest Woman" get to my head. I was not invincible to bullets. With his free hand the man swiftly cocked his gun. _Click!_ He placed his finger over the trigger to show that he meant business. Still, I was not afraid.

"What do you want?" I managed to ask coolly, breaking eye contact with the man to search the fields and sky for Goku. That moment would've been the perfect time for Goku to show himself.

"Ain't no one coming to help you." The man laughed, shooting his gun in the air to prove his point. I involuntarily flinched at the sound. The man shot in the air a few more times, laughing each time I flinched.

The man's twin marched up to me, grabbed a handful of my hair, and threw me onto the ground. Sand and small pebbles stuck to my tongue as I cried out. The man pressed his shoe into my back to keep me from trying to get up. I let out a frustrated whine and dug my nails into the dirt as the man with the gun felt up and down my body, searching for money, jewelry, or weapons I might have on me.

"What's this?" The man holding the gun asked, taking out my fortune cookie strip from my pocket. He took one glance at it, saw that it was worthless, and tossed it aside. He checked my other pocket, and found a bag full of money I'd left home with, but never spent.

"Find anything?" His brother asked, removing his shoe from my back, and relieving me from his burdensome weight.

The man locked eyes with me as he subtly dropped my bag of money down his boot. "No, nothing. Just some lint and a water bottle."

"I'll check her sleeping bag," The twin brother said, checking a sleeping bag the way only a criminal would. He took out a large knife and started slashing through the material = as if I had sewn any of my valuables inside!

I rolled onto my back and stared at the sky.

 _How could Goku let them do this to me?_

Goku wasn't coming to my rescue. I needed to get out of danger on my own. Before I could decide on a plan, the man with the handheld gun pointed it down at my face. He wanted to shoot me this time, I could see the determination to silence me in his eyes. He found my money and lied to his brother about it, I could break the peace between them if I wanted.

In a last-minute decision, the man lowered his gun.

"Get the tape and rope," He ordered.

* * *

 **10-25-17,11-15-17.**

 **To everyone still reading this, thank you. You're so patient! I know exactly how this story ends and I haven't had writer's block, so this story really shouldn't be taking this much time to finish.I only have one math final to worry about before winter break, and I'm determined to finish this story b4 the end of the year!**

 **Idk maybe I can finish the last chapter tonight. *fingers crossed***


	5. Sorry this isn't

Sorry, this isn't a new chapter.

To everyone waiting for a new chapter and wondering what's going on, don't worry I haven't abandoned the story.

December was very stressful. After I finished my finals, my brain packed a suitcase and went on vacation… haven't heard from it since.

I also experienced my first case of extreme insomnia shortly after winter break. I thought it was fun I had tons of energy and only needed to sleep 3 hours a week. Unfortunately, my insomnia hasn't gone away. I've tried nearly everything, but I can't sleep more than 2 hours a day ( it's starting to become scary!)

So, updates for this story – and my other stories - has been put on hold until I can improve my health.

Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon.

Luvs,

 **TeeLee123.**


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